Circle Line Cruise, NYC

The Circle Line Cruise departs from Pier 16, right next to the Brooklyn Bridge. There's a whole menu of tours available but I did the 1-hour Zephyr cruise tour. We first went right under the Brooklyn Bridge where our tour guide gave us a very interesting and entertaining history of its construction. We've all seen pictures of the Brooklyn Bridge and many tourists and residents have walked or biked over it, but the view of the bridge from a boat bellow is quite different. The perspective along with learning its history gave me a new appreciation of the bridge's magnificent structure.

The boat turned back and proceeded down the East River, skirting Downtown Manhattan. Heading up the Hudson River, we caught a glimpse of the new Freedom Tower and passed right in front of the Statue of Liberty. All the while the tour guide narrated Manhattan's history as we passed by its famous landmarks. The image of Battery Park's trees and walkways contrasting with its backdrop of Manhattan skyscrapers is enough to inspire the creative instinct in any artist.

The Circle Line Cruise was an excellent way to spend an hour and well worth the $23. There was no shortage of breathtaking views and we learned more about the history of New York City's most famous borough than I've learned in all my years in school. This is definitely on my list of must-do attractions for NYC visitors.